The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and its partners will host their first Agriculture Innovation Investment Summit from June 1- 2 in Washington, D.C. The Summit will connect investors with innovators to accelerate game-changing technologies that can help smallholder farmers improve their productivity and competitiveness, in line with the goals of the U.S. Government's global hunger and food security initiative, Feed the Future.

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Romanian Foreign Ministry signed an agreement today to work together to strengthen rule of law, anti-corruption, agriculture, and energy independence in other European and Eurasian countries. The agreement will also promote greater U.S.-Romanian development cooperation around democracy, local governance, civil society and media independence, health, education and regional integration with the European Union.

The United States Agency for International Development announced nearly $128 million in additional humanitarian assistance to help the people of Ethiopia face the impacts of the worst drought in fifty years.

The U.S. Agency for International Development has halted several humanitarian aid activities in Turkey based on information provided by USAID’s Office of Inspector General about fraud in humanitarian aid for Syrians. USAID has also suspended individuals and vendors from receiving USAID funding.

The U.S. Agency for International Development's Chief Geographer and Director of the U.S. Global Development Lab's GeoCenter, Carrie Stokes, is a finalist for the 2016 Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medals for achievements in international affairs. Stokes was selected for her advocacy, leadership, and action to promote the use of spatial analysis and geographic information systems (GIS) in U.S. international development and humanitarian efforts.

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is pleased to announce that it earned an "A" grade on the Federal government's small business scorecard for Fiscal Year (FY) 2015. The Agency has now earned an "A" grade or better for each of the past three fiscal years. USAID prioritizes early engagement with the smallbusiness community to increase innovation and provide new approaches to accomplishing development objectives.

U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Administrator Gayle Smith will make her first visit to Asia when she travels to China and Burma this week. Administrator Smith will lead the U.S. delegation to Beijing, China for a development dialogue between the United States and China on April 28, 2016. Administrator Smith and the U.S. delegation will engage in a conversation with the Chinese on opportunities to work together on development projects in third countries in areas of mutual interest. Discussions will focus on priorities outlined in the development cooperation memorandum signed in 2015 between the United States and China.

In a move to enhance accountability across the globe, representatives of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the U.S. Government Accountability Office's (GAO) Center for Audit Excellence today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that establishes a framework for collaboration on training and technical assistance efforts. The goal of the agreement is to enhance the capabilities of audit organizations in developing countries.

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) airlifted more than 80 tons of emergency relief items to Quito, Ecuador over the weekend to help people affected by the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck the country on April 16. The cargo included 20,400 water containers, 3,500 kitchen sets, five large water storage and distribution units, and 1,000 rolls of heavy duty plastic to provide emergency shelter needs.

Today, USAID lost one of our own. On behalf of our entire team, I send our deepest condolences to the family, friends, and colleagues of USAID Foreign Service National Xulhaz Mannan, who was brutally murdered in Bangladesh today. We condemn this cruel and inhumane act of violence and add our voices to all those calling to bring his cowardly attackers to justice.

On World Malaria Day, USAID joins partners across the globe in commemorating incredible progress in the fight against malaria. But our fight is not over. A child still dies every two minutes from malaria. So we must also answer President Obama's call and work to end malaria within a generation.

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has deployed a team of disaster experts to respond to humanitarian needs in Ecuador stemming from the 7.8 magnitude earthquake that struck on April 16 in the northern part of the country, killing approximately 400 people and injuring more than 2,600 others. These numbers are expected to increase as new information becomes available.

U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Administrator Gayle Smith will participate in the 2016 annual InterAction Forum. On April 18, Administrator Smith will deliver remarks at the opening day festivities to share her thoughts on the future of humanitarian assistance and international development.

Call for ideas now open; initial focus on improved tools to prevent and respond to Zika

Today the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) launched Combating Zika and Future Threats: A Grand Challenge for Development, calling innovators around the world to submit groundbreaking ideas to enhance our ability to respond to the current Zika outbreak and generate cutting-edge technologies and approaches that better prepare the world to address the disease threats of tomorrow.

Eight Organizations Supported Through the Development Innovation Ventures Program

The U.S. Agency for International Development's (USAID) U.S. Global Development Lab has announced $5 million in new grants to eight organizations from around the world. The awards are funded through the Development Innovation Ventures (DIV) program, a year-round open competition that seeks innovative, breakthrough development solutions.

USAID is committed to openness and transparency, and we take our obligation to release information under FOIA very seriously. The significant increase in the volume of information requested, however, is delaying our responses.

U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Assistant Administrator for Europe and Eurasia Thomas O. Melia will travel to Georgia April 10-15, 2016. This will be Melia's first visit to Georgia as USAID's Assistant Administrator. He will be joined by the U.S. State Department's Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Economic and Business Affairs Kurt Tong.